In
a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and
salt. Sprinkle the butter over the flour mixture and use a pastry
cutter to cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
Stir in the dried strawberries, orange zest, and 1/4 cup sliced almonds.

Add
the buttermilk, starting with 3/4 cup and adding more as needed, using a
spoon or your hands to bring the dough together. Dough will be very
thick, but moist.

Lightly sprinkle the parchment paper
with flour. Turn the dough out onto the parchment, and sprinkle the top
of the dough with a little more flour. Gently press the dough into a
circle, measuring 7-8 inches across and 2 inches high. Using a sharp
knife dipped in flour, cut the disk into 8 equal wedges. Move the
wedges apart, so they have 1-2 inches of space in between. Brush off
any excess flour.

Lightly beat the egg with the water,
then use a pastry brush to brush over the dough. Sprinkle with the
remaining 2 tablespoons almonds.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately, with honey or jam.

Cook's
Note: As with any biscuit-like bread, these are best eaten within a few
hours, while they are soft and flaky. They will be more dry and
crumbly the following day.